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Molecular and Immnune Diagnosis: Further Testing for Human Strongyloidiasis

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Abstract

Introduction

Detection of Strongyloides stercoralis larvae is particularly challenging because only a small number of larvae are released into the feces, regardless of infection stage.

Objective

Our objective was to apply conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to the detection of S. stercoralis DNA in feces samples to evaluate its performance in samples of patients with strongyloidiasis and compare results with those of immunodiagnosis.

Methods

Stool, serum, and saliva samples were collected from each individual (n = 48) at the clinic hospital of the State University of Londrina, Brazil, for parasitological, immunological, and molecular tests. Stool samples were processed via parasitological methods. Serum samples were used for immunoglobulin G (IgG) detection and saliva samples for IgA detection by ELISA.

Results

For amplification by conventional PCR, two different primers were used: species specific (101 bp) and genus specific (392 bp). The results showed that 34 (97.1%) of the 35 copro-positive individuals for S. stercoralis were positive for serum IgG and 19 (54.3%) were positive for salivary IgA. Regarding molecular analysis, both primers (species and genus specific) demonstrated positivity in 100% of the samples, which was confirmed by sequencing the positive samples.

Conclusion

Complementary examinations of the parasitological method demonstrated excellent results in the context of the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis, especially in asymptomatic patients with irregular larval release in the feces.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, CCB, Laboratório de Parasitologia Experimental, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid Campus Universitário, Londrina, PR, CEP 86051-990, Brazil

    Larissa R. Bosqui, Wander R. Pavanelli, Ivete Conchon-Costa & Idessania N. Costa

  2. Departamento de Moléstias Infecciosas e Parasitárias - Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455 - Cerqueira César, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246903, Brazil

    Priscilla D. Marques, Gessica B. de Melo, Fernanda M. Malta & Fabiana M. Paula

  3. Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Pará 1720, Uberlândia, MG, CEP 38400-902, Brazil

    Maria do Rosário F. Gonçalves-Pires & Julia M. Costa-Cruz

Authors
  1. Larissa R. Bosqui
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  2. Priscilla D. Marques
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  3. Gessica B. de Melo
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  4. Maria do Rosário F. Gonçalves-Pires
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  6. Wander R. Pavanelli
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  7. Ivete Conchon-Costa
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  8. Julia M. Costa-Cruz
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  9. Fabiana M. Paula
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  10. Idessania N. Costa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Larissa R. Bosqui.

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Funding

This study was supported by grants from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES—Grant no. 40002012026M9 [LRB] and Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do estado de São Paulo (FAPESP—Grant no. 2013/03304-0).

Conflict of interest

LRB, PDM, GBdM, MdRFG-P, FMM, WRP, IC-C, JMC-C, FMP and INC have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval and Informed Consent

The study was approved by the ethics committee on human studies at the State University of Londrina (protocol number 1.306.715).

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Bosqui, L.R., Marques, P.D., de Melo, G.B. et al. Molecular and Immnune Diagnosis: Further Testing for Human Strongyloidiasis. Mol Diagn Ther 22, 485–491 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40291-018-0340-1

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